Scottish Executive

Agriculture

Mr John Farquhar Munro (Ross, Skye and Inverness West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what the timetable is for the implementation of the land management contracts set out in A Forward Strategy for Scottish Agriculture .

Ross Finnie: This is a major new initiative which will require to be carefully developed in partnership with all interested parties and in conjunction with the European Commission. As the Strategy document states, our aim is to develop land management contracts over the next two to three years.

Central Heating

Mr Kenneth Gibson (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many central heating systems have been installed in (a) council properties, (b) registered social landlord properties and (c) private properties in each of the last five financial years for which figures are available and how many are scheduled to be installed this year, broken down by local authority area.

Jackie Baillie: The information at (b) and (c) is not available. Information at (a) is provided to the Executive by local authorities and details for 1996-97 to 2000-01 are set out in the following table. The figures cover first-time installation of central heating systems, replacement of old systems and the extension of partial systems. There is no information about the number of properties in each of these categories. We have made provisional allocations to local authorities, including potential stock transfer authorities, for 2001-02 under the Central Heating Programme. We have asked for an estimate of the number of systems they can install in the current financial year.

  


Central Heating Systems Installed in Council 
  Houses 1996-97 to 2000-01 
  

 




Authority 
  

1996-1997 
  

1997-1998 
  

1998-1999 
  

1999-2000 
  

2000-2001 (planned) 
  



Aberdeen 
  

51 
  

638 
  

1,683 
  

1,851 
  

345 
  



Aberdeen-shire 
  

556 
  

340 
  

500 
  

580 
  

675 
  



Angus 
  

34 
  

363 
  

153 
  

260 
  

418 
  



Argyll & Bute 
  

255 
  

480 
  

287 
  

380 
  

133 
  



Clackmannan-shire 
  

110 
  

480 
  

252 
  

165 
  

105 
  



Comhairle nan Eilean 
  

30 
  

40 
  

55 
  

66 
  

38 
  



Dumfries & Galloway 
  

0 
  

578 
  

971 
  

N/A 
  

N/A 
  



Dundee 
  

1,051 
  

1,042 
  

1,150 
  

1,028 
  

1,417 
  



East Ayrshire 
  

1,503 
  

1,196 
  

1,383 
  

1,852 
  

695 
  



East Dunbarton-shire 
  

100 
  

136 
  

115 
  

205 
  

326 
  



East Lothian 
  

0 
  

0 
  

0 
  

0 
  

0 
  



East Renfrewshire 
  

110 
  

250 
  

448 
  

448 
  

146 
  



Edinburgh 
  

1,130 
  

1,861 
  

2,278 
  

2,590 
  

1,465 
  



Falkirk 
  

4,100 
  

1,161 
  

350 
  

153 
  

191 
  



Fife 
  

0 
  

0 
  

0 
  

0 
  

0 
  



Glasgow 
  

964 
  

200 
  

348 
  

100 
  

1,100 
  



Highland 
  

190 
  

177 
  

386 
  

596 
  

845 
  



Inverclyde 
  

42 
  

638 
  

667 
  

360 
  

275 
  



Midlothian 
  

183 
  

223 
  

495 
  

435 
  

108 
  



Moray 
  

400 
  

514 
  

0 
  

484 
  

503 
  



North Ayrshire 
  

500 
  

850 
  

362 
  

564 
  

600 
  



North Lanarkshire 
  

1,280 
  

4,330 
  

536 
  

1,907 
  

1,157 
  



Orkney 
  

110 
  

19 
  

16 
  

16 
  

13 
  



Perth & Kinross 
  

0 
  

0 
  

0 
  

0 
  

0 
  



Renfrewshire 
  

0 
  

2,164 
  

1,921 
  

1,446 
  

1,313 
  



Scottish Borders 
  

45 
  

354 
  

112 
  

240 
  

242 
  



Shetland 
  

0 
  

0 
  

0 
  

0 
  

0 
  



South Ayrshire 
  

442 
  

65 
  

420 
  

280 
  

500 
  



South Lanarkshire 
  

3,319 
  

585 
  

931 
  

1,187 
  

611 
  



Stirling 
  

200 
  

91 
  

161 
  

139 
  

102 
  



West Dunbarton-shire 
  

850 
  

1,224 
  

695 
  

692 
  

255 
  



West Lothian 
  

470 
  

55 
  

1,600 
  

1,400 
  

300 
  



Scotland 
  

18,025 
  

20,054 
  

18,275 
  

19,424 
  

13,878

Central Heating

Mr Kenneth Gibson (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how much will be invested in its central heating programme in each financial year from 2001-02 to 2004-05.

Jackie Baillie: There will be sufficient investment to ensure that all dwellings in local authority and housing association ownership have central heating by April 2005 and a substantial number of those aged 60 or over in the private sector have it also.

Central Heating

Mr Kenneth Gibson (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how much was invested by (a) local authorities, (b) registered social landlords and (c) the private sector in central heating installation in pensioner households in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

Jackie Baillie: There is no information about investment under (b) or (c). As regards (a) details of the total number of properties in which local authorities have installed central heating over the last five years are given in my reply to S1W-16620. However, there is no separate information on the number of pensioner households benefiting.

Childcare

Mike Watson (Glasgow Cathcart) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many places are available in out-of-school and after-school care in each constituency in the City of Glasgow and how many children are on waiting lists for places in such services.

Nicol Stephen: The information requested is not held centrally. Glasgow City Council holds some of the information at postcode level. The New Opportunities Fund (the Fund) holds data on projects approved in parliamentary constituencies, including places created, since the launch of the Fund’s programme for out-of-school care in 1999.

Civil Service

Irene Oldfather (Cunninghame South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1O-3083 by Angus MacKay on 8 March 2001, what progress it is making in its policy of public sector jobs dispersal.

Angus MacKay: The Scottish Executive has made progress in locating public sector jobs around Scotland. The Education and Lifelong Learning Department is now wholly located in Glasgow; the Food Standards Agency has been set up in Aberdeen and the Public Guardian’s Office has been set up in Falkirk.

  On 1 December last year I announced in answer to Parliamentary Question S1W-11704 that we are undertaking detailed reviews of six Edinburgh based public bodies. Decisions are expected on the location of the Health Education Board for Scotland and sportscotland in the course of this year. Decisions are expected on the location of the Common Services Agency of the National Health Service in Scotland in 2002, on the Scottish Arts Council before 2003 and on Registers of Scotland in 2004.

  The First Minister announced on 6 March that the National Office of the Scottish Commission for the Regulation of Care and the offices of the Scottish Social Services Council will be located in Dundee. The Commission’s regional office for the area will also be located in the Dundee HQ. Locations under consideration for the other five regional offices are Inverness, Aberdeen, Paisley, Hamilton/East Kilbride and East Lothian.

  On 17 July I announced that the Scottish Public Pensions Agency will be located in the Galashiels area of the Borders, subject to the successful conclusion of negotiations for suitable premises.

Drug Misuse

Richard Lochhead (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many drug addicts are (a) registered and (b) estimated to live in each health board area, giving each figure (i) as a percentage of the national figure and (ii) as a proportion of the population in each area.

Iain Gray: The term "registered drug addict" no longer exists. Information on the numbers of people misusing drugs is not held centrally. However the Scottish Executive has commissioned the Centre for Drugs Misuse Research at the University of Glasgow to conduct a prevalence study to estimate the number of problem drug misusers at national and local level. The results of this study will be available shortly.

  The following table shows the number of new individual patients reported to the Scottish Drug Misuse Database for the year ending 31 March 2000, as a percentage of the national figure and as a proportion of the population in each area.

  Number of New Patients/Clients reported to Scottish Drug Misuse Database 1-4

  

 

No. of New Patients 
  

% of Scotland figures 
  

Proportion of population 15-54 years 
  



Scotland 
  

11,237 
  

100% 
  

0.4% 
  



By Health Board of Residence 
  
 
 
 



Argyll and Clyde 
  

1,255 
  

11.2% 
  

0.5% 
  



Ayrshire and Arran 
  

1,181 
  

10.5% 
  

0.6% 
  



Borders 
  

80 
  

0.7% 
  

0.1% 
  



Dumfries and Galloway 
  

199 
  

1.8% 
  

0.3% 
  



Fife 
  

434 
  

3.9% 
  

0.2% 
  



Forth Valley 
  

280 
  

2.5% 
  

0.2% 
  



Grampian 
  

1,348 
  

12.0% 
  

0.5% 
  



Greater Glasgow 
  

3,274 
  

29.1% 
  

0.6% 
  



Highland 
  

124 
  

1.1% 
  

0.1% 
  



Lanarkshire 
  

543 
  

4.8% 
  

0.2% 
  



Lothian 
  

2,012 
  

17.9% 
  

0.4% 
  



Orkney 
  

- 
  

0.0% 
  

0.0% 
  



Shetland 
  

17 
  

0.2% 
  

0.1% 
  



Tayside 
  

550 
  

4.9% 
  

0.3% 
  



Western Isles 
  

14 
  

0.1% 
  

0.1% 
  



Outside Scotland 
  

8 
  

0.1% 
  
 



  1. The definition of "new" is (a) the person is attending the particular service for the first time ever, or (b) the person has attended before but not within the previous six months.

  2. Misuse of alcohol is reported to the database only if it is used as a secondary drug.

  3. All figures exclude penal establishment inmates.

  4. As compliance rates for services in each health board area may vary, and reports will depend on the availability of local services, direct comparisons to estimate prevalence may be inappropriate.

Environment

Irene McGugan (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to offer discounts via the Powershift programme to purchasers of hybrid electric-petrol cars.

Rhona Brankin: Under the Powershift programme funding is now available in Scotland to assist purchase of hybrid electric-petrol vehicles.

Fisheries

Richard Lochhead (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps are being taken to help the fishing industry to recruit crews.

Rhona Brankin: I understand that certain sectors of the fishing industry are having difficulty in retaining crew members. We expect that the impact of the Executive’s decommissioning scheme on the viability and profitability of vessels will assist in attracting crews.

Fisheries

Dr Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when its proposals for the future management of Scotland’s freshwater fish and fisheries will be published.

Rhona Brankin: I am pleased to announce that I am launching the Green Paper, Scotland’s Freshwater Fish and Fisheries – Securing their Future , today.

Foot-and-Mouth Disease

Dr Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will detail any restrictions related to the control of foot-and-mouth disease that affect the sale of animals to farms in (a) at risk areas and (b) infected areas.

Ross Finnie: Farms in the at risk area can purchase animals from the Scottish "provisionally free area" or from the Scottish at risk area. Cases where farmers wish to purchase animals from England and Wales and move them on to Scotland will be examined on a case by case basis. There are restrictions which prohibit the movement of animals on to Scottish farms from Northern Ireland and other EU countries.

  The above conditions also apply to farms in the "Infected Area" assuming that they are not under form A or form D restrictions.

  These arrangements are kept under review.

Foot-and-Mouth Disease

Dr Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects the livestock market in Dumfries to re-open.

Ross Finnie: It is too early to contemplate the recommencement of markets in Dumfries and Galloway. The position will be kept under review in the light of the prevailing Foot-and-Mouth Disease position.

Foot-and-Mouth Disease

Dr Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what assistance is available to farmers who have been unable to sell suckler cows because of restrictions relating to foot-and-mouth disease.

Ross Finnie: There is no specific assistance available from the Scottish Executive to farmers who are unable to sell farm livestock due to the restrictions relating to foot-and-mouth disease.

  Where these restrictions have resulted in serious animal welfare problems the farmer may be able to make use of the livestock welfare disposal scheme.

Health

Irene McGugan (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the timescale is for the introduction of the NHS24 service.

Susan Deacon: An implementation plan is being developed to allow NHS 24 to be introduced across Scotland in a managed way. Currently, this envisages a phased rollout of the service beginning in spring 2002.

Health

Irene Oldfather (Cunninghame South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has received or made any representations on the comprehensiveness of the public consultation undertaken by Ayrshire and Arran Health Board on the report of the Maternity Services Option Appraisal Group.

Susan Deacon: A number of representations have been received. The matter has been under discussion between the Health Department and Ayrshire and Arran Health Board.

  I regard proper public consultation as an essential aspect of any proposal for significant change to the pattern of health services in an area.

  All Health Boards have been asked to work towards implementing the recommendations of the national Framework for Maternity Services published in February. I understand that Ayrshire and Arran Health Board recently announced its intention to benchmark every aspect of the way they deliver maternity services against the Framework.

Health

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what its waiting list targets are for the NHSiS beyond April 2002.

Susan Deacon: The length of time people wait for treatment is more important to them than the number of people who are waiting.

  Our National Health: a plan for action, a plan for change sets out the Executive’s aims of reducing waiting and ensuring that the patient’s journey is as swift, responsive and smooth as possible. It includes a number of specific targets on waiting, particularly in the priority areas of cancer and coronary heart disease.

  I have no plans to set further targets on waiting lists.

Health

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many additional doctors and nurses will be required to meet the objectives in Our National Health: A plan for action, a plan for change .

Susan Deacon: Our approach to developing the workforce in NHSScotland, as stated in Our National Health; A plan for action; a plan for change continues to be one of targeted investment. That is why last year I announced 210 extra specialist nurses and 110 extra doctors and earlier this year I announced funding for a further 375 doctors and 84 public health practitioners. In addition, the Executive is providing an extra £18.5 million on primary care over the next three years which will be mainly targeted at increasing the number of GP’s and developing the primary care workforce. To ensure that additional investment is targeted where it is needed most, we are improving workforce planning in the NHS through, for example, a fundamental review of medical workforce planning and the inclusion of workforce plans in local health plans.

Justice

Brian Adam (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive who is responsible for the approval of analysts under the Road Traffic Offenders Act 1988.

Mr Jim Wallace: The subject matter of the Road Traffic Offenders Act 1988 is reserved to the UK Government and responsibility for authorisations under the Act rests with the Secretary of State.

Justice

Phil Gallie (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is aware of the contents of the article "Ferris Floods Prison with Heroin" in the Sunday Mail on 1 July 2001 and whether it will investigate whether William Ferris is breaking his parole licence.

Iain Gray: I am aware of the article. William Ferris is on life licence and subject to supervision. Any reports of activity contrary to licence conditions are carefully investigated. The Scottish Executive has received no reports from the supervising authority or the police that suggest Mr Ferris is involved in the criminal activity referred to in this article.

Lifelong Learning

Richard Lochhead (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide a breakdown by constituency and parliamentary region or by the most appropriate available geographical area of the location of the holders of the first 100,000 individual learning accounts.

Ms Wendy Alexander: The Executive’s target of 100,000 Individual Learning Accounts (ILAs) was achieved on 11 June 2001. The nearest date for which ILAs are broken down geographically is for the period ended 30 June. The following details are provided below by Local Enterprise Company (LEC) area:

  


LEC Areas 
  

No. of ILAs Opened 
  



Argyll & Islands 
  

 1,265 
  



Ayrshire 
  

 8,678 
  



Borders 
  

 2,455 
  



Caithness & Sutherland 
  

 1,148 
  



Dumfries & Galloway 
  

 3,563 
  



Dunbartonshire 
  

 7,285 
  



Fife 
  

10,563 
  



Forth Valley 
  

 4,042 
  



Glasgow 
  

12,508 
  



Grampian 
  

13,651 
  



Inverness & Nairn 
  

 1,849 
  



Lanarkshire 
  

 7,889 
  



Lochaber 
  

 672 
  



Lothian & Edinburgh 
  

17,922 
  



Moray/Badenoch/
Strathspey 
  

 1,896 
  



Orkney 
  

 532 
  



Renfrewshire 
  

 8,206 
  



Ross & Cromarty 
  

 1,071 
  



Shetland 
  

 343 
  



Skye & Lochalsh 
  

 490 
  



Tayside 
  

 9,003 
  



Western Isles 
  

 601 
  



Unassigned 
  

 372 
  



Total (Scotland) 
  

 116,004

Local Government

Mr Adam Ingram (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will detail the budget of each local authority for 1999-2000, 2000-01 and 2001-02 and the Executive’s contribution to these budgets.

Angus MacKay: The information is contained in the following tables. Local authorities supplement the revenue grant support they receive from the Executive with funding from council tax.

  Central Government Grant To Councils – 1999-00 To 2001-02

  


Council 
  

1999-2000 
  

2000-01 
  

2001-02 
  


 

£ million 
  

£ million 
  

£ million 
  



Aberdeen City 
  

192.480 
  

200.270 
  

213.869 
  



Aberdeenshire 
  

213.112 
  

216.820 
  

234.900 
  



Angus 
  

108.762 
  

110.527 
  

118.103 
  



Argyll & Bute 
  

110.884 
  

113.524 
  

121.880 
  



Clackmannanshire 
  

48.430 
  

49.425 
  

53.767 
  



Dumfries & Galloway 
  

159.723 
  

163.927 
  

176.682 
  



Dundee City 
  

174.018 
  

178.758 
  

191.437 
  



East Ayrshire 
  

126.160 
  

130.850 
  

139.253 
  



East Dunbartonshire 
  

97.122 
  

97.952 
  

107.465 
  



East Lothian 
  

83.321 
  

85.582 
  

91.223 
  



East Renfrewshire 
  

77.572 
  

80.293 
  

88.622 
  



City of Edinburgh 
  

426.157 
  

431.036 
  

458.071 
  



Eilean Siar 
  

70.424 
  

72.050 
  

76.023 
  



Falkirk 
  

136.312 
  

145.057 
  

159.543 
  



Fife 
  

344.529 
  

352.670 
  

379.529 
  



Glasgow 
  

813.291 
  

830.045 
  

895.253 
  



Highland 
  

249.883 
  

254.550 
  

273.989 
  



Inverclyde 
  

98.391 
  

101.017 
  

107.371 
  



Midlothian 
  

80.531 
  

81.803 
  

90.030 
  



Moray 
  

89.039 
  

90.225 
  

97.450 
  



North Ayrshire 
  

143.556 
  

149.208 
  

161.061 
  



North Lanarkshire 
  

333.935 
  

345.867 
  

374.873 
  



Orkney Islands 
  

40.424 
  

40.306 
  

43.119 
  



Perth & Kinross 
  

126.934 
  

130.046 
  

139.107 
  



Renfrewshire 
  

177.333 
  

185.696 
  

198.109 
  



Scottish Borders 
  

115.013 
  

118.491 
  

126.316 
  



Shetland Islands 
  

57.130 
  

58.215 
  

62.219 
  



South Ayrshire 
  

112.248 
  

112.213 
  

119.803 
  



South Lanarkshire 
  

302.874 
  

313.719 
  

338.601 
  



Stirling 
  

88.856 
  

89.679 
  

98.083 
  



West Dunbartonshire 
  

110.152 
  

112.855 
  

123.778 
  



West Lothian 
  

156.250 
  

158.926 
  

170.496 
  



Scotland 
  

5,464.846 
  

5,601.602 
  

6,030.025 
  



  Note: Figures from Local Government Finance Circulars 4/1999, 4/2000 and 3/2001.

  Total Local Authority Net Expenditure - Budget Estimates 1999-2002

  


 


Budget
Estimate
1999-2000 
  

Budget
Estimate
2000-01 
  

Budget
Estimate
2001-02 
  



£000 
  



Aberdeen, City 
  

259,975 
  

271,279 
  

289,378 
  



Aberdeenshire 
  

275,238 
  

282,221 
  

304,705 
  



Angus 
  

135,688 
  

138,533 
  

148,968 
  



Argyll and Bute 
  

142,087 
  

146,623 
  

155,725 
  



Clackmannanshire 
  

62,032 
  

63,943 
  

68,281 
  



Dumfries & Galloway 
  

202,225 
  

208,712 
  

223,346 
  



Dundee 
  

225,144 
  

226,728 
  

237,745 
  



East Ayrshire 
  

155,306 
  

162,400 
  

172,135 
  



East Dunbartonshire 
  

130,960 
  

132,783 
  

144,343 
  



East Lothian 
  

110,841 
  

114,969 
  

122,478 
  



East Renfrewshire 
  

103,222 
  

107,825 
  

118,590 
  



Edinburgh, City 
  

581,060 
  

599,681 
  

630,294 
  



Eilean Siar 
  

76,249 
  

78,536 
  

83,587 
  



Falkirk 
  

169,683 
  

181,362 
  

198,975 
  



Fife 
  

437,543 
  

450,274 
  

479,051 
  



Glasgow 
  

1,040,031 
  

1,047,219 
  

1,119,071 
  



Highland 
  

310,603 
  

319,441 
  

340,748 
  



Inverclyde 
  

124,965 
  

126,623 
  

133,434 
  



Midlothian 
  

105,482 
  

108,467 
  

120,009 
  



Moray 
  

109,373 
  

112,404 
  

119,935 
  



North Ayrshire 
  

178,508 
  

185,323 
  

198,717 
  



North Lanarkshire 
  

414,966 
  

427,728 
  

460,697 
  



Orkney 
  

44,459 
  

44,825 
  

47,680 
  



Perth and Kinross 
  

165,404 
  

171,717 
  

183,449 
  



Renfrewshire 
  

231,874 
  

239,082 
  

253,098 
  



Scottish Borders 
  

141,518 
  

146,928 
  

155,987 
  



 


Budget
Estimate
1999-2000 
  

Budget
Estimate
2000-01 
  

Budget
Estimate
2001-02 
  



£000 
  



Shetland 
  

61,367 
  

62,879 
  

67,066 
  



South Ayrshire 
  

146,727 
  

147,989 
  

158,348 
  



South Lanarkshire 
  

383,368 
  

397,893 
  

426,565 
  



Stirling 
  

115,210 
  

119,152 
  

130,281 
  



West Dunbartonshire 
  

144,388 
  

147,941 
  

154,111 
  



West Lothian 
  

198,046 
  

202,989 
  

216,438 
  



Scotland 
  

6,983,542 
  

7,174,468 
  

7,663,235 
  



  Note: Figures taken from local authorities’ Budget Estimate returns. Figures are total net expenditure (e.g. excluding expenditure funded from fees & charges etc.) Medical Training.

Local Government

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-13848 by Susan Deacon on 11 May 2001, whether it will provide figures on the expected increase in the number of students entering medical training in (a) 2001-02, (b) 2002-03, (c) 2003-04 and (d) 2004-05.

Susan Deacon: Our National Health; a plan for action; a plan for change gave a commitment to a review of medical workforce planning, including assessing the medical student intake in Scotland. As I announced on 20 June, Professor John Temple, President of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh, has agreed to lead the review. He has commenced work and aims to submit a preliminary report to me, by the end of the year. Decisions on any future changes in medical student intake will be taken in light of the review. The need for any changes in the medical school intake will need to be judged against the fact that Scotland is currently a net exporter of trained doctors. In the meantime, the number of funded places on medical courses in Scottish institutions is being maintained at current levels.

Nursing

Margaret Smith (Edinburgh West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many NHS nurses will be eligible to retire within the next ten years.

Susan Deacon: At 30 September 2000, there were 4,810 qualified nurses eligible to retire in the next ten years.

Nursing

Margaret Smith (Edinburgh West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many NHS nurses left the profession in each year since 1997 and what main reasons were given for these departures.

Susan Deacon: The number of nurses leaving NHSScotland since 1997 is shown in the table. Information about the reasons for these departures is not held centrally.

  


Qualified nursing and midwifery staff in 
  NHSScotland1,2




Leavers (Headcount) Scotland 
  



1996-97 
  

1997-1998 
  

1998-1999 
  

1999-2000 
  



3,097 
  

3,113 
  

2,826 
  

2,809 
  



  Source: National Manpower Statistics from payroll.

  ISD Scotland

  Notes:

  1. The number of "net" leavers is produced using the annual censuses at 30 September which are extracted from payroll. Net movements of staff are detected by tracking individuals over successive censuses. A small number of staff who have left will be missed by this analysis because they join and leave between successive censuses.

  2. Each census includes nurses, midwives and health visitors directly employed by NHSScotland. Bank and agency nurses, who work as and when required, and nurses employed by GP practices are excluded.

Nursing

Mrs Mary Mulligan (Linlithgow) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-13988 by Susan Deacon on 21 March 2000, what plans it has to gather information in the future on the amount spent by the NHSiS on the use of bank and agency nurses.

Susan Deacon: Data on the amount spent by NHSScotland on the use of both bank and agency nurses is currently being gathered and will be available in September. It is intended to collect similar information for future years.

Nursing

Mr Kenneth Gibson (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many of the (a) nurses and (b) midwives who completed their training in Scotland in each of the last three years for which figures are available found employment in the NHSiS.

Susan Deacon: The number of nurses and midwives who completed their training in Scotland in each of the last three years is shown in the following table. The number of nurses and midwives finding employment in NHSScotland is not collected centrally.

  Nursing and Midwifery Completions by Year of Completion

  

 

1997-98 
  

1998-99 
  

1999-2000 
  



Nursing 
  

2,005 
  

2,243 
  

2,277 
  



Midwifery 
  

204 
  

185 
  

191 
  



  Source: The National Board for Scotland Statistical Supplement to Annual Report.

Planning

Ms Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress is being made in its review of the planning system with particular reference to controversial planning applications.

Lewis Macdonald: The Executive’s programme for modernising the planning system includes the current consultation on the Review of Strategic Planning, a forthcoming consultation on public involvement in the planning system and the development of a policy statement on design and quality. The planning system already identifies a category of applications called "bad neighbour development"; we have no plans to develop separate procedures for dealing with a category of "controversial" applications.

Population

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive (a) what the population of Rum was and (b) which government conservation agency owned it, in each year since 1957.

Rhona Brankin: The following table shows the population for Rum collected by the Registrar General in the Census of Population which is carried out every ten years.

  


Population Present1


Resident Population2




1961 
  

1971 
  

1981 
  

1981 
  

1991 
  



40 
  

40 
  

42 
  

17 
  

26 
  



  Notes:

  1. Persons present on census night.

  2. Persons usually resident. The 1981 figure includes both present and absent residents of households where someone was enumerated as present on census night; the 1991 figure includes both present and absent residents of households including a count or estimate where no-one was enumerated as present on census night.

  Rum was purchased for the nation in 1957 by the then Nature Conservancy and has been managed by its successor agencies the Nature Conservancy Council, the Nature Conservancy Council for Scotland and, since April 1992, by Scottish Natural Heritage.

Prison Service

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is in relation to the two-day delay in publicising the absconding of Gordon Johnstone, given his previous record.

Mr Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, chief executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:

  There was no delay in publicising the abscond of this D category prisoner. SPS and Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland have an agreed protocol for the release of information to the media about escaped or absconding prisoners. This was followed.

Prison Service

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will make a full report into the absconding of Gordon Johnstone available to the justice committees.

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has commissioned a full report into the absconding of Gordon Johnstone during a Training for Freedom Programme and whether it will direct the Scottish Prison Service to review its risk assessment procedures given this prisoner’s previous record, particularly when absconding from prison.

Mr Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, chief executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:

  The matter of Mr Johnstone’s abscond has been referred to the police and will be the subject of a report to the procurator fiscal. It would therefore be inappropriate to comment further at this time.

Prison Service

Dr Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide details of (a) all medical, dental and personal services provided by the Scottish Prison Service to Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed Al Megrahi at Camp Zeist since his conviction for the Lockerbie bombing and (b) the cost of providing each of these services.

Iain Gray: I have asked Tony Cameron, chief executive of the Scottish Prison Service, to respond. His response is as follows:

  As there is currently only one prisoner in HM Prison, Zeist, I am unable to provide the information sought as this would compromise the prisoner’s right to medical confidentiality.

Rural Development

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what its policy is regarding encouraging community development on Rum; whether it supports the re-establishment of the Rum Development Group, and whether it considers that there should be more development on Rum and, in particular, in Kinloch.

Rhona Brankin: The Scottish Executive supports the aims of encouraging the sustainable development of the community alongside the effective management of one of Scotland’s most important National Nature Reserves. The management of Rum is a matter for Scottish Natural Heritage. I suggest the Member arranges to meet with Scottish Natural Heritage to discuss these and other issues more fully.

Rural Development

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether Scottish Natural Heritage can effectively fulfil its duty both to the environment and to community development on Rum and what action the Executive will take to resolve any conflict between these duties.

Rhona Brankin: The Scottish Executive believes that both functions can be progressed by Scottish Natural Heritage with the assistance of its partners.

Rural Development

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is in the interests of social and economic development on Rum that Scottish Natural Heritage is its owner and whether it would consider the transfer of part or all of the ownership of Rum to a third party.

Rhona Brankin: Rum is owned and managed by Scottish Natural Heritage as a National Nature Reserve and this arrangement should continue. The Scottish Executive supports the aims of encouraging the sustainable development of the community alongside the effective management of one of Scotland’s most important National Nature Reserves.

Scottish Natural Heritage

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is aware of a delay in the submission date for the application by the Scottish Natural Heritage to the Heritage Lottery Trustees in respect of Kinloch Castle from September 2001 to January 2002 at the earliest and what the reasons are for any such delay.

Rhona Brankin: This is an operational matter for Scottish Natural Heritage.

Scottish Natural Heritage

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive on what date (a) the Historic Buildings Inspectorate carried out its inspection of Kinloch Castle and (b) the Inspectorate’s report was communicated to Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) and what action SNH has taken since to implement the report’s recommendations.

Rhona Brankin: The Historic Buildings Inspectorate visited Kinloch Castle on 7-10 February 1996 at the request of Scottish Natural Heritage. The Inspectorate’s report was communicated to Scottish Natural Heritage on 12 March 1996. The management of Rum is an operational matter for Scottish Natural Heritage. I suggest the Member arranges to meet with Scottish Natural Heritage to discuss these and other issues more fully.

Scottish Natural Heritage

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive on what date the Historic Buildings Inspectorate first recommended that Scottish Natural Heritage explore Heritage Lottery Funding as a means of carrying out work to the Category A listed Kinloch Castle on the Isle of Rum.

Rhona Brankin: The Historic Buildings Inspectorate’s report, which draws attention to the possibility of Heritage Lottery Funding, was sent to Scottish Natural Heritage on 12 March 1996.

Scottish Natural Heritage

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any concerns regarding the stewardship of Rum by Scottish Natural Heritage and, if so, what steps it will take to address these.

Rhona Brankin: The Scottish Executive has no such concerns.

Transport

Irene McGugan (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether funds exist to subsidise the purchase of hybrid electric-petrol cars.

Rhona Brankin: Funds have recently been made available through the Powershift programme to assist purchase of hybrid electric-petrol vehicles in Scotland.

Victim Support

Mr Gil Paterson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to introduce clear structures for communication between the criminal justice system and women complaining of incidences of male violence to ensure that such women are kept fully informed throughout proceedings.

Colin Boyd QC: In September 2000 I advised the Justice and Home Affairs Committee that I intended to establish a dedicated victims assistance service within the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service. This service called the Victim Liaison Office (VLO) is one of the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service commitments to providing enhanced services to victims and to meeting the objectives of the Scottish Strategy for Victims. There will be a Victim Liaison Office in each region of the Procurator Fiscal Service by Spring 2002. The precise scope of and detailed arrangements for the national service will be informed by the outcome of two pilot projects currently ongoing in Grampian and Hamilton. The service will provide emotional and practical support, case specific information and information about the criminal justice system to victims.

  The pilot is currently directed at, amongst other things:

  Victims of all serious cases where the nature of the charge is indicative of solemn proceedings;

  Victims in cases of domestic assault;

  Cases involving children who have been cited as prosecution witness;

  Victims in cases involving sexual offences; and

  Any other victim where the VLO considers that because of particular vulnerability the provision of the services would be beneficial.

Water Industry

Mrs Mary Mulligan (Linlithgow) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress it has made in preparing for the move to a single water authority.

Ross Finnie: : Following interview processes, ministers have decided to designate Professor Alan Alexander as the prospective Chair and Dr Jon Hargreaves as the prospective chief executive of the proposed new authority, Scottish Water, subject to the successful passage of the forthcoming Water Services Bill. Their appointments will only be confirmed when Parliament approves the passage of the Water Services Bill.

  Professor Alexander is currently Chair of West of Scotland Water. Dr Hargreaves is the chief executive of East of Scotland Water.

Young Offenders

Richard Lochhead (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people were employed specifically to work directly with young offenders in each of the last three years, broken down by local authority area.

Iain Gray: Information on the number of people employed specifically to work directly with young offenders is not collected centrally.

  Information on the number of staff in local authority social work departments is given in the statistical bulletin Staff of Scottish Local Authority Social Work Departments, 1999, published in January 2001 and is available on the Scottish Executive web site. The bulletin provides a local authority staff breakdown for criminal justice social work, but this does not identify the age of the clients.